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President’s Message (December 2015)

November 20, 2015 by • 0 Comments

Dear Temple Sinai Members,

On behalf of the Board, I would like to say a big thank you for your generosity. Our holiday donations to Foodshare, and our High Holiday Pledges, were very significant. I am very grateful for your continued generosity.

I am excited to report that the Temple is bustling with activity. We continue to make progress on our three main priorities of service, education, and community. In the area of service, we have decided to focus our energies on Hunger. We will look to complement the great work the Social Action Committee is already doing on this. Stay tuned for more information of how everyone can play a part.

As far as community, we have so many wonderful programs going on for our Temple Community and the wider community. Also, please stay tuned for more information on our 60th Anniversary Celebration Weekend, April 29 – May 1.

In the area of education, we recently provided training to our teachers on how to best use the new laptops in the classroom.

Finally, I wanted to share with you that the Rabbi, Carol, Joyce and I have just returned from the URJ Biennial (Union for Reform Judaism). The Biennial was pure magic, from the incredible music, powerful worship, interesting and helpful workshops, and finally to listening to Vice President Joe Biden. We have learned many helpful things we can possibly put into practice at Temple Sinai. I do want to emphasize that as I sat in meetings with Presidents from other congregations, I realized even more how special a place Temple Sinai is! I heard of so many different significant challenges facing these congregations, and we are much better off than most. I am very proud of the culture of inclusion we have, led by the Rabbi, and how we have such a wonderful caring Temple Community.

Please let me know if anyone has any comments or suggestions, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our Chanukah Shabbat on December 11 at 6:00 p.m.

Thank you.

Regards,
Ken Lesser, Presidentnew message24

Chanukah 2015

November 20, 2015 by • 0 Comments

As the days grow darker and colder, we find ourselves hibernating in the warmth of our homes. Winds blowing, snow falling and temperatures dropping all remind us of winters past and question our choice to live in such a cold climate. We hold tight as each day grows darker.

As we approach the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, we look forward to longer days and more sunlight. It is no coincidence that every culture celebrates a holiday during the winter to bring festivity to this gloomy time of year. Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, makes the darkness more bearable and even enjoyable as we remember the heroism of the Maccabees.

The Maccabees are our heroes, a small band of Jews fighting the mighty Syrians for religious freedom. The truth of this story is that the Maccabees not only fought a mighty army but they fought apathy and conflict within their own community as well. The Maccabees rallied other Jews to renew and rededicate their own faith.

The tension that persists in the Middle East feels dark and gloomy, and yet we all hold out hope that peace can be achieved. Perhaps the cynics will say it isn’t possible for the Palestinian people and the Israelis to live peacefully. Like the Maccabees we must fight our apathy and skepticism in order to rededicate ourselves to the hope for peace.

I want to believe that even in the midst of violence, those who deter the peace can be turned toward peace. And those who support it will raise their voices together to drown out those who are against it. We must hold onto the hope.

As the days grow shorter, we live with eager anticipation of the light from the Chanukah menorah which illuminates the darkness in our lives and in our world. Our tradition teaches us to add a candle for each successive day of Chanukah. As the menorah light becomes brighter and our days grow longer, we hold onto our hopes and prayers for a season of light, joy and peace.

The Hebrew word “Chanukah” means to rededicate. We pray that as we celebrate our Festival of Light, a new light will shine upon the world and enlighten the leadership of the many countries at war to move with all their might toward a peaceful coexistence one with another.

Rabbi Jeffrey Bennettnew message24

The Chanukah Candles

October 25, 2015 by • 0 Comments

This year (2015), the first candle is lit the evening of December 6.

The Chanukah lights should be kindled as soon as possible after nightfall. On Fridays, the lights are kindled before the beginning of Shabbat (before the Shabbat candles are lit). The lighting procedure is as follows:

  1. The correct number of candles are placed in the menorah, beginning at your right.
  2. Each subsequent night you add one candle, starting at the right and moving left.
  3. After the candles are set, you light the shamash, the helper candle, which usually has a distinct place on the menorah apart from the other candles.
  4. Use the shamash to light the rest from left to right.

You can view and print the blessings in Hebrew, Hebrew transliterated, and English here. You can purchase a copy of the blessings in ASL from Our Way, Our Way is a program of the OU National Jewish Council for Disabilities.

Knitzvah Project

October 25, 2015 by • Tags: • 0 Comments

Wanted: Knitters & Crocheters

The Social Action Knitzvah Project donates items to charities, and we need your help! You don’t have to be an expert to join in. We get together as a group monthly to chat and make such items as hats and quilt squares. We’ll have patterns ready for you.

If you would like to lend a hand, please contact the Temple office . Phone: 860/561-1055.

Sisterhood Speaks (November 2015)

October 24, 2015 by • 0 Comments

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! All members of Temple Sinai, young and old, are invited to a fine evening out!

On Saturday, December 12, at 6:00 p.m, the Sisterhood cooking crew will offer a home cooked pasta dinner and Silent Auction. Bring your family, bring your friends! This is open to everyone! The dinner is bargain priced, at $5 a person, because we want you to feel free to bid on our wonderful auction items.

The auction items will be on several tables: decorative and useful home goods, gift certificates, crafts and home made items and finally, home baked goods, wrapped and ready to take home with you. Of course, if you have something you would like to donate to one of the tables, please let me know by December 8new message24

We want to put the fun into fundraiser, so plan on coming to the Social Hall on Saturday, December 12! Be part of our silent auction and Super Saturday Supper!

Sincerely
Ann Speyer, Sisterhood Presidentnew message24

From the Chai Club (November 2015)

October 24, 2015 by • 0 Comments

On November 18, the Chai Club will sponsor Current Events with Rabbi Bennett. This will take place at 1:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room, and is open to all temple members. Please RSVP to the Temple office, 860/561-1055.

Chai Club members should watch their mail for an announcement of a December program that is in the process of being planned.

The Chai Club is open to all temple members 55+. Please contact us via the temple office or by emailnew message24 if you would like to join.

Lucille Portner & Harvey Seltzer, Chai Club Co-chairsnew message24

Social Action Committee Newsletter (November 2015)

October 24, 2015 by • 0 Comments

November’s Mitzvah of the Month is our annual Turkey and a $30 drive for Foodshare. On Sunday, November 22, from 9 a.m. to noon, we will be collecting frozen turkeys and monetary donations for Foodshare. In past years we have raised hundreds of dollars at this event and have donated hundreds of turkeys to help our hungry neighbors for Thanksgiving.

If you are interested in joining Knitzvah or helping to serve food at the Mercy Shelter, please contact us for more information.

We truly appreciate the contributions of all members of our congregation to social action efforts. Regardless of whether you are donating time, money, or skills it is important that we give back to our community as best we can!

Our meetings are the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Our next meeting is Wednesday, November 18. Hope to see you there!

Sarah Maltese, Social Action Chairnew message24

Adult Education Newsletter (November 2015)

October 24, 2015 by • 0 Comments

November brings two exciting programs to the Temple on the same weekend!

  • Friday, November 13, at 6:00 p.m., Bobbie Klau will conduct an alternative service including storytelling and other activities.
  • Sunday,November 15, at 2:00 p.m, A Conversation with Our Muslim Neighbors. The program is sponsored by the Hartford Seminary, Connecticut Muslim Coalition, and Connecticut Council for Interreligious Affairs (CCIA). We hope to have a large turnout as we ask our Muslim neighbors to answer questions from the audience concerning topics in the news as well as learn more about the Muslim Faith. Feel free to invite your friends as this is open to the community.

Last month we started a monthly Torah Study on Friday night and we had a large, engaged group in attendance with beginners and regulars contributing. Alas, we have scheduling conflicts in November and will resume on Saturday, December 19.. In January, we will move to a more consistent schedule of 2nd Friday evenings of the month unless otherwise noted, following the 6:00 p.m service. Come and learn about the Torah and more!

L’Shalom,
Ellen Rothberg Adult Education Chairnew message24

President’s Message (November 2015)

October 24, 2015 by • 0 Comments

Dear Temple Sinai Members,

I hope the new year is off to a good start this year for all of you. I know I am going to focus less on being happy this year, and more on having a good year by doing good things. We have a lot of wonderful things happening at the Temple, and I wanted to highlight some for you.

First, thank you all for generosity during this holiday season. We received great support for Foodshare and to our Temple. We have decided as a Board to have Hunger as our focus for our service initiative this year. Working with our Social Action committee, we will have many different ways our congregation can do more to combat this big issue.

Secondly, we have had two groups recently meeting at the Temple. The Jewish Genealogical Society of CT is now housed at Temple Sinai, and they meet once a month at the temple. This is a great way to learn more about your ancestry. We also had a JT Connect Program for students that taught teens about the problems of homelessness; they interviewed current or previously homeless people.

On October 9, we had our Torah Study for beginners program sponsored by our Adult Education Committee and led by Rabbi Bennett. We had a terrific gathering of 24 and an excellent discussion. Please consider going to the next one on December 19 at 9:00 a.m. On October 16, we had our Welcome Back Shabbat. It was a wonderful evening sponsored by our Membership Committee.

I am excited by all the great things happening at the Temple. Finally, I wanted to remind you we will be having our 60th Anniversary Gala on April 30. Stay tuned for more details!

Regards,
Ken Lesser, Presidentnew message24

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